Viktor Gyökeres Shines as Sweden Prepares for World Cup

Viktor Gyökeres has taken his club form straight onto the international stage, striking again as Sweden rounded off their 2026 World Cup preparations with a 2-2 draw against Greece in Stockholm.

The Swedish forward, so ruthless in open play all season, chose a dead ball to underline his confidence. Midway through the second half, he stood over a free-kick and wrapped his right foot around it, curling the ball beyond the wall and into the corner. A warm-up game, yes, but the finish carried the weight of a player who expects to be decisive on the biggest stage.

Greece had drawn first blood. Liverpool defender Kostas Tsimikas surged into the contest, opening the scoring for the visitors and briefly silencing the home crowd. Sweden needed a response, and Gyökeres provided it, his equaliser tilting the momentum back towards the hosts.

The pressure told again when Gustaf Nilsson completed the turnaround, nudging Sweden in front and pushing the atmosphere towards celebration rather than ceremony. Yet the night refused to settle into a simple farewell. Deep into stoppage time, with the 95th minute ticking away, Giorgos Masouras arrived to snatch an equaliser for Greece, denying Sweden a final victory but not the sense that their attack is primed for the tournament to come.

Merino wears the armband as Spain sign off at home

Across in A Coruña, Spain’s final home outing before the World Cup carried a different tone: a controlled 1-1 draw with fellow qualifiers Iraq, a night of fine touches and quiet significance.

La Roja struck first. Ferran Torres, ever alert in the box, finished after a neat set-up from Dani Olmo, a move that felt straight from the training ground and briefly opened the game up for Spain’s technicians to dictate the rhythm.

Iraq refused to play the supporting role. Merchas Doski caught goalkeeper Joan Garcia off guard, levelling the match and reminding Spain that even a farewell friendly offers no room for lapses.

The second half brought a notable moment for Mikel Merino. Introduced in the 68th minute for Alex Baena, the midfielder later took the captain’s armband, a small but telling gesture in a squad rich with leaders. The game drifted towards stalemate, but Merino’s late spell as skipper hinted at the trust he now commands within this Spain setup.

With their home goodbyes complete, Spain head across the Atlantic to Mexico, where Peru await in Puebla for their final tune-up before the real scrutiny begins.

O’Neill steps onto the senior stage for Northern Ireland

Away from the World Cup spotlight, one of the most meaningful moments of the night came in Cadiz, where Ceadach O’Neill’s senior international career quietly began.

At the Estadio Municipal de la Línea de la Concepción, the 18-year-old Hale End winger came off the bench for Northern Ireland, replacing Isaac Price in the 64th minute of a tight contest against Guinea. It was a small window, but a significant leap for a player who has been edging closer all season.

O’Neill has already impressed in Premier League 2 and the UEFA Youth League and has been on the fringes of first-team squads at club level during the 2025/26 campaign. Now he has the first cap to match that trajectory.

Tom Atcheson delivered the decisive moment on the night, scoring the only goal in a narrow 1-0 win, but the lasting image for Northern Ireland’s future may be the teenager in green taking his first steps at senior level.

The next challenge could be even bigger. Northern Ireland travel to Lille to face France at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy next week, where O’Neill may find himself lining up against one of his club’s established stars. For a young winger on the rise, there are tougher stages to break onto—but not many brighter ones.